Trestle



' (No Model.)

-.H 1N MANN. TRESTLE.

No. 538,912. Patented May 7, 1895.

' yWIZ/VESSESI n w 6 I I v afag'f/ 6i ATENT pptfifie CARL HEINEMANN, OE HAMMOND, INDIANA.

TREsTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,912, dated May 7, 1895.

Application filed December 13,1894- Serial No. 531,698. (No model.)

To 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HEINEMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trestles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trestles for supporting horizontal boards for the use of paper-hangers, decorators, carpenters, and other workmen; and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same, which shall possess superior advantages with respect to efficiency in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trestle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the upper ends of the pivoted front legs. Fig. 4 is a view showing the trestle collapsed or folded up.

In the said drawings, the reference-numerals 1, 1, and 2, 2, designate two pairs of diverging legs. Those marked 1, 1, I designate as the rear legs, and 2, 2, the front legs. As seen in Fig. 1, these legs cross eachother and the legiof one pair is pivoted to a leg of the other pair by means of pivot 3. Embraced between the upper ends of the legs 1, 1, and pivoted thereto by a pivot or pin 4,isa bar 5 having on its under side a series of rack teeth 6. The pivot 4 passes loosely through the ends of said legs, so that the latter may play thereon, so as to allow the lower ends to be spread apart, as will be hereinafter set forth. Secured to the upper end of each of the legs 2, is a plate 7, having one edge bent over inwardly, forming a flange 8. These flanges at their lower ends are formed with inwardly extending lugs 9, pivotally connected together by means of a pivot 10. At the upper end one of these plates is formed with a loop 12, While the other is formed with an arm 13, adapted to engage therewith.

Pivoted to one of the rear legs 1, 1, below their pivotal points, is a bar let having anotch 15 which is adapted to engage with a pin or stud 16 on the other leg, by which said legs are securely held in position when extended or spread apart. I have only shown one of these bars 14, but in treslles which are used for heavy work, two or more may be employed.

The operation is as follows: As seen in Fig. 4, the trestle is folded up for transportation or storage. To distend the device, so that the trestle will occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, the lower ends of legs 1, 1, are drawn forward and the ends of legs 2, 2, pushed backward and the bar 5 turned upwardly, so as to clear the arms 13, of plate 7. The legs are then adjusted to give them the required height by moving their upper ends nearer to or farther from each other, and the bar 5 is then Y turned down so that the rack teeth on the under side thereof will engage with said arm ing a scaffold, boards being laid upon and supported by the bars 5.

It will be noticed that when the legs 2 2 are distended, or spread apart, as above described, their upper ends will firmly clamp the ends of bar 5, and prevent its rack teeth from being accidentally disengaged from the arm 13. This arm 13 works in the loop 12 of the opposite plate whereby a portion of the strain or weight of the bar 5 is taken off the said arm.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a trestle the combination with the two pairs of pivoted legs, of the bar pivoted to the upper ends of one of said pairs of legs, and having rack teeth on its under side the pivoted plates secured to the upper ends of the other pair of legs, and one of said plates having an inwardly extending arm with which said rack teeth engage, substantially as described.

2. In a trestle the combination with the two pairs of pivoted legs, of the bar pivoted to the upper ends of one of the pairs of said legs, and having rack teeth on its under side, the. pivoted plates secured to the upper ends of the other pair of legs and one of said plates having an inwardly extending arm with which said rack teeth engage, and means for holding said legs in position when distended or spread apart, substantially as described.

3. In atrestle, the combination with the two pairs of pivoted legs and the bar pivoted to the upper ends of one of said pairs and having rack teeth on its under side, of the plates secured to the upper ends of the otherpair of legs, the inwardly extendinglugs formed with 

